The Woe of the Mercenary
by SensitivelyNumb
Summary: There was a woman who he devoted his life to, a woman who sought vengeance against the world. Bane loved Talia, and for this he suffered excessively. Then he made the mistake of capturing Alex, a girl whose eyes burned with a fire he had never seen before. Naturally, he was curious. *Set during the Dark Knight Rises Bane/OC
1. Chapter 1

_War is overdue_  
_ The time has come for you_  
_ To shoot your leaders down_  
_ Join forces underground_  
_Lose control_  
_ In increasing pace_  
_ Wantonly waste_  
_ Intention erased_  
_ Whatever they say_  
_ These people are torn_  
_ Wild and bereft_  
_ Assassin is born_

**-Assassin, Muse**

**Chapter One: A Chance  
**

Alex Bellamy clutched her notebook, scrawling down insignificant information about the Gotham Stock Exchange. Her classmates busied themselves by wandering amongst the wealthier class of the city, who turned their noses up at the sight of high school students tarnishing the affluent market. They observed the advanced computer monitors displaying stock trends, seemingly out of place in the old beige building. Her classmates studied the upper class, as if they would one day be so rich, like they were looking into their distant future. Alex wasn't so optimistic.

When her teachers weren't watching, she eagerly slipped out of the crowded room. Alex walked towards the front entrance, discreetly leaning herself against a wall. She held her notebook against her knee, bending slightly until the pen met the paper. As she was lazily drawing random patterns and shapes, she noticed a hulking figure enter through the glass doors. He strolled purposely into the Exchange, wearing a black leather jacket which clung to his massive body. The colossal confidence radiating off of him caused people to recoil, avoiding his eye contact as if it would turn them to stone. His eyes flickered to hers for a short second, silently questioning why she didn't look away. Alex remained where she was, curiously wondering what he was concealing beneath his red motorcycle helmet.

Moments later, she heard a chorus of gunshots erupt from within the main room. She wasn't overly startled; anyone living in Gotham had had their fair share of violence. Alex peered around for a hiding spot, settling on a corner beside a shoeshine station. For nearly ten minutes, she pressed her head against the stone wall, hoping to hear what was going on. Despite more gunfire, she couldn't make out much more, except perhaps one voice which rose above the rest. It was a strange mechanical rasp, like someone exhaling while talking, except rougher. The voice was clearly masculine, and yielding an undeniable power. She was nearly positive that this was the man she had seen come into the building.

From her corner, she could see police cars settling in front of the entrance, creating a barricade of vehicles. Men exited their rides, raising different kinds of guns; Alex didn't know the first thing about weapons. She knew that unless she left before the large man, he would surely spot her on his way out. Mustering up her courage, she stood and jogged to the glass doors. Her fingertips were just touching the wall masking her freedom when a voice called out.

"I wouldn't leave if I were you," the man commented, causing her to turn and face him. His pale skin contrasting the dark bangs hanging over his face. "Bane's gonna need some hostages, and from what I can hear going on in there, you're gonna be one of the last one's left." He laughed grimly at the last statement. _Hostages?_ Alex wondered. _Why would they take hostages after stealing the money? What money? This is a stock exchange. There's no cash here._

Alex didn't respond to him. There wasn't enough time to.

A crowd of citizens was urged by gunpoint into the entrance, and somehow she ended up in the back, behind the massive man. His helmet was gone, replaced by a sort of contraption around his bare head. The main part covered his mouth and nose in intricate metal tubes, the rest stretched over his head, and around the back with a thick black strap. Alex hadn't expected to see his face. He was the only person she had ever laid eyes on that didn't need a face. His presence alone had the ability to construct a formidable image, seeing his face would have made him seem more real. More human.

The citizens were lead down the steps, holding their arms up defensively to the police. The group of apparent thieves blended in, each one grasping their hostage of choice. The faceless man, along with his accomplices, guided the motorcycles on the descending stairs. He turned abruptly, seeing Alex behind him. Without a blink, he roughly grasped her arm, pulling her towards him.

"Get on," his mechanical voice commanded, much to her dismay, as he straddled the motorcycle. She hesitated a moment, opening her mouth to protest, then closing it again as she saw the ferocity in his eyes. "Now." He possessed an unquestionably authoritative tone, which told her that failure to comply would result in her immediate death. So Alex slid onto the seat, unsure of where to put her hands. When the engine roared to life and lurched forward, she reflexively latched onto the man's thick waist.

The bike trembled as it sped down the stairs, weaving between cop cars. The man squeezed the clutch tighter and tighter, until their pursuers were just distant shapes. His men followed their leader, also bearing hostages on their bikes. The plan was successful: the cops hadn't fired at them because they would risk harming the citizens. The men began pushing their hostages off of their motorcycles, prompting them to harshly roll to the pavement.

Alex saw this, and held onto her kidnapper for dear life. He would have to pull over to pry her off without crashing the motorcycle, and he was well aware of this, but he still leaned forward slightly at her touch. She tightened her grasp on him during each turn, tucking her head into his back when she heard a gunshot. She wasn't comforted by him, however she was soothed by the fact that if something were to happen to her, he would be going down with her.

Soon, the sirens behind them faded entirely. Alex could only hear the light humming of bikes beside her, though she couldn't see past the man's broad back. The man who desired very much to be rid of her clinging hands. A faint smile touched her lips; she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of shying away from him. She knew he craved her fear.

The vehicle beneath her halted. The man smoothly stepped off of the bike, turning towards Alex. Now that his back was out of her way, she realized that her kidnapper, along with a few of his men, were in a barren parking lot somewhere the city lights didn't quite reach. As she was taking in her surroundings, the burly man forcefully seized her arm and dragged her off of the bike. He spoke quietly to a man at his side, then was handed a brown sack. His warm hand clasped Alex's chilled neck as he slid the sack over her head, much to her distaste.

"Is this _really_ necessary?" she muttered, her voice muffled by the cloth. She reached to pull the sack away, but was stopped by the same large hands. Her wrists were bound behind her back with a coarse rope. The rope was uncomfortable because of its roughness, shrewdly making her want to itch it. She resisted the feeling, due to her goal of maintaining as much dignity as possible.

Alex was guided down a flight of stairs by a smaller, but substantial hand. She was concerned about overstepping, and tumbling down the stairs because of the quick pace, but she made it down without much incident, aside from a few stumbles. And then, she was lifted off her feet by two men, then placed on a ladder. She didn't realize at first that she was nearly ten feet from the ground, and she missed a rung of the ladder. Her hands slipped down the sides of the frigid metal before she landed in the arms of a massive body. Him.

Alex didn't thank him. She remained silent.

The sack was torn from her head, leaving her wavy near-black hair tousled and sticking up in places. It took a moment for her inky brown eyes to adjust to the light, not that there was much light anyhow. Alex was underground for sure, but where, she had no idea. She could hear a rush of water close by, but didn't see much aside from blank tan walls, a desk, and scattered seating. The men stood a few feet away, watching her. There were four of them there , including the monstrous one, the pale one, a scruffy brown-haired guy, and a scrawny blonde. The pale man favored his right leg, hobbling along when the leader wasn't looking.

"Sir, what should we do with the girl?" the brown-haired man asked. She listened intently, hoping her fate wouldn't be too gruesome. The leader towered over his men as he stared at her, trying to read her. She looked back at him, calculatingly as well.

"Dispose of her," he rasped simply, striding towards a hallway. Alex watched in alarm as the second-in-command raised a gun and pointed it at her head. His finger brushed against the trigger.

"No!" she called out hysterically. "You can't kill me." Her breathing steadied marginally as the gunman paused just long enough for the leader to put his hand up, delaying her death sentence. She couldn't see his mouth, but it wasn't difficult to tell he was amused.

"No?" he mocked bitterly. "Were you under the impression that your judgement would be taken into consideration?" She wondered vaguely where he was from, with an accent as unfamiliar as his.

"Give me a chance," Alex demanded brazenly. She didn't plead for his mercy as he suspected she would, or even flee into the labyrinth of the underground. She was asking for an opportunity to live, and he could not deny such a stout, but foolish girl.

"My men have all earned their positions, you will be no different. You will be fighting for your life," he declared as she glared at him numbly, her mouth popping open in shock. He gestured to himself and the three men dispersed around the room. "_Well_? Choose your opponent." Too his immense surprise, she didn't point to the smallest man but instead to one of his newer recruits, Filip. The pale man, whose limp only she noticed, strode towards her. She struggled to form a plan, knowing that his weak leg would be her only advantage.

Alex pulled out of her gray sweatshirt, leaving her in a plain tank top, leggings, and a pair of tattered Converse. Her opponent approached her while the other men backed away, leaving plenty of space for the fight. He sneered at the small girl, clearly feeling no remorse for her. She didn't want his pity anyhow.

He lunged for her instantly, aiming a punch at her temple, which she swiftly ducked under. He stepped forward as she stepped back, taking on a defensive position. The pale man swung another mighty, spontaneous fist at Alex, this one connecting sourly with her cheek. She reflexively bit her tongue, which spilled blood onto her white teeth. She spat out the coppery taste.

Alex knew that if it came down to strength, she couldn't win this battle. She had to _think_.

She thought of everything she could remember about fighting, faintly recalling a boxing movie she had seen, The Fighter. She pictured Mark Wahlberg chanting _head, body, head, body_. Alex's eyes briefly flashed against the curious leader's as he scrutinized her every flawed move. Her lips twitched upwards as she formed a curt plan.

Alex hurled her fist at her opponents face, smiling slyly as he took the bait, protecting his head. She quickly recoiled, positioning one foot behind his weak leg, holding it in place. He ground his teeth, struggling to push her off. She wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting a foot and heaving it sharply into his kneecap. They collapsed to the ground as his leg broke with a menacing crack. He shamefully let out a howl of pain as the clever girl pounded his face in with crude, sporadic punches. And then it was over.

"Bane," the new recruit groaned loudly,(and pathetically), deflecting as many of her jabs as he could manage. "The little hussy snapped my leg!" Rory heard the leader, Bane, chuckle lightly. A strong hand on her shoulder pulled her off of her victim.

"You were defeated by an inexperienced child, my friend." _Child? She was nearly eighteen!_ " I'm afraid I have no tolerance for your weakness," Bane added. The man gaped at the looming figure above him, cowardly avoiding his piercing glare. "Barsad, take care of this gentleman for me." The guy with brown hair and stubble nodded to his leader. Bane glanced down at Alex, as if wondering what he could possibly do with her.

"What now?" she questioned, harshly brushing her untamed hair from her face. "Are you going to torture me? Rape me? Kill me? Recruit me?" _Eat me?_ she wondered mentally. His eyes glinted with amusement, as if he knew what she was thinking.

"Perhaps," Bane responded simply, to her utter annoyance. He clutched the girl's shoulder, leading her out of the open room and into a dim hallway. She listened attentively as her desperate adversary pleaded with Barsad to no avail. A single gunshot echoed throughout the underground, and the begging ceased.

She couldn't help but feel responsible for his death.

* * *

**Author's Note:**  
**Well...what do you think? In case you're wondering, I'm not stopping my other story, The Baron of Darkness, I'm just starting an additional one. Pretty stupid, I know. Summer will be starting in a couple of weeks, so I'll be able to update more frequently then. Please let me know if it's weird to be attracted to Bane.**

**Also, I was listening to the song at the top while I was writing this, and I figured _hey! this kind of fits_. She's not quite an assassin, but still. Notice her last name is Bellamy? That's the lead singer of Muse's last name! God I'm obsessed. Sorry, I tend to ramble in author notes.**

**Until I update, it would make my day if you took a look at my other Batman story!**


	2. Chapter 2

_Falling down  
Five thousand houses burning down,  
No one is gonna save this town  
_**-Muse, Falling Down_  
_**

**Chapter 2: Murderer**

Bane escorted her to a plain room, containing hardly anything; just a bed, a desk, and a small antique-looking cot buried in the corner. She trudged over to the desk as he watched her curiously from the doorway. Alex picked up a thin, deteriorating book and read the title: George Orwell's 1984. Her lips curled into a smile at the familiar story.

"You read?" she asked while flipping through the pages. She hadn't realized that criminals had the time for books. Bane wasn't an ordinary crook though, he was clearly something _more_; and Alex was hard-pressed to find out exactly what he was.

"Occasionally, yes," he replied, calculating her response.

"It's rather ironic you chose a book on corruption," she commented, tossing the paperback onto the desk. _Is this where he got his inspiration?_ she wondered fleetingly. His eyes glinted angrily for a moment before he responded.

"The best books," Bane began darkly. "Are those that tell you what you know already." Alex glanced up at his obscure hazel eyes, daring him to continue. Her gaze trailed down to his tight black shirt within the leather jacket. She marveled at the definition of his muscles, trying to speculate why he acquired such strength. His stomach tightened as he gestured to the rusty cot in the room. "You'll be sleeping there." Alex's nose twitched slightly in repulsion, not going unnoticed by Bane. Beneath the quaint mask, his lips pressed into a wry smile. "And I suggest you don't try to escape, unless you're partial to painful consequences." She glowered at her captor, attempting to form a coherent threat, even though she doubted she could lay a finger on him.

"What am I supposed to do in here?" she exclaimed angrily. "Clean your fucking desk? Give me something to do!" Bane paused in the doorway, facing outwards.

"Learn your place," he growled, slamming the door shut behind him. Her fate was sealed when she heard the metal door click shut.

* * *

Alex paced around the small room, scheming. There weren't even windows (considering they_ were_ somewhere underground), just a traditional closet bearing Bane's boots, basic pants, and t-shirts. She curiously regarded a large brown case tucked away behind his shoes. It was guarded with a simple decayed lock, which attracted her interest; of course she had to know what Bane deemed important enough to place in the box. So Alex pulled a bobby pin from her hair, bending it in half. She prodded at the key hole for a few minutes, then smiled in delight as it popped open. Hoping that there wasn't a frozen head in there, she eagerly uncovered the box.

The case contained rows of mysterious vials, which held some sort of liquid. She lifted one up and examined it, wondering if it was poison. She entertained herself with the idea that if Bane didn't wear a mask, she could have forced it down his throat, if need be. Alex snapped the case shut and locked it, pushing it back into the closet, then sitting down at the desk. She faintly realized how thirsty she was, and become upset that there wasn't even a bathroom in there. _The bastard had the audacity to lock her in without a bathroom!_ she thought, fuming.

She yanked open the desk drawer, rummaging around for a weapon. She doubted that a pen would be much use against Bane, but she took it out anyways, instead planning to draw on a piece of scrap paper. She found herself sketching for hours, her wrists gradually stiffening from overuse. At first, she scribbled out normal things: mountains, the sky, maybe some trees. But as she became lonelier, the pictures become darker. She drew herself, a faint shadow against a wall, blood dripping from her hands. _Murderer_, the voices in her head hissed._ You killed that man. You're going to burn in Hell with no one for company but Bane_. She heard the door open, just as she was furiously tearing her drawings apart.

Alex glanced up at Bane, who didn't acknowledge her enraged state. She jammed the papers into a trash can, raising her hands just in time to catch an apple Bane tossed her._ An apple_, she thought vehemently, extremely pissed off._ I haven't eaten all day, and I get a freaking apple?_ At this point, she was already regarding herself as some sort of crazy person; although she wasn't overly social, the seclusion had proved unbearable. Maybe if he thought she really was psycho, he would let her go. She considered twitching intermittently, but decided against it, since he would probably just kill her sooner.

"Just _peachy_," Alex muttered, biting into the juicy red fruit. The coolness of the apple chilled her teeth, just how she liked it.

"Actually, I believe it's an apple," Bane responded, earning himself a scowl. She got up from the desk chair and hiked over to her cot, mumbling something about going to sleep. She plopped herself down on the rickety structure and laid across it, her face nestled in a pillow. There was a resonant creak, and then the cot collapsed beneath her, sending her sailing to the floor. Bane laughed loudly, to Alex's surprise. It was a pleasant laugh, slightly mechanical, but not quite as cold as she had expected. With a resentful sigh, Alex leaned against the wall, amidst a mess of blankets and metal.

"Would I be pushing my luck if I asked to sleep on the bed?" she asked, forcing an innocent smile.

"I provided you with a bed. It's your own fault you broke it," the masked man said, slight humor present in his voice. He entered the room, unlacing his shoes and walking towards the closet. Alex held her breath as he placed the shoes inside of it, pausing to look at the case suspiciously. He started to peel the fitted shirt from his body, revealing his bare torso, which she gazed at appreciatively for a second, until he caught her looking. She clapped her hands over her eyes, turning to face the wall. She listened nervously as a belt clattered to the floor, praying that he wasn't naked. After minutes passed in silence, with her eyes still closed, she spoke up.

"Are you done?" she demanded, spinning to face the room. "If your just going to stand there naked all night-" she paused, seeing him laying comfortably on the bed, clothed in sweatpants. Alex was shamefully impressed; she hadn't even hear him moving. She wouldn't have expected large man like Bane to walk around with such stealth. She frowned when she realized that he was in a bed, in her room.

"You're sleeping in here?" she asked with frustration.

"Seeing as this is my room, yes," he replied, his arms perched behind his head as he leaned against a flat pillow. "Since you broke your bed, you'll have to sleep on the ground. Or you could remain on that pile of protruding metal, though I wouldn't doubt you'd be waking up with bruises. Your choice." She glared up at him.

"I didn't break it!" Alex spluttered. "I sat on it and it collapsed!"

"I fail to see a difference," Bane said with annoyance. "Now go to sleep." His voice had becoming threatening, so Alex reluctantly complied, gathering a tattered blanket from the cot and walking as far away from Bane as she could get. She gawkily laid down on the numbing concrete, positioning the thin blanket over her body. Alex looked around for the trash can, spotting it about five feet past the bed. She threw the apple core in its general direction, hoping for the best, and watched in horror as it headed towards Bane's face. She imagined ludicrous outcomes: the apple hitting Bane and him killing her, or perhaps the apple breaking Bane's mask and killing him. The latter sounded better to her.

Bane's eyebrows creased; he was beyond irritated at this point. His hand shot up, neatly catching the core without touching the part she bit. He didn't spare her a second glance as he tossed it into the trash and flicked the light off, rolling onto his side. She blinked in surprise, thanking her lucky stars.

* * *

Hours passed, and Alex hadn't fallen asleep. She shivered, curled up in her pathetic blanket on the floor. She scanned the dark room for something to keep her warm, and her eyes landed on a blanket folded on top of Bane's bed. She weighed the pros and cons, then quietly stood up, and stepped over to his bed. As she was reaching out to gently remove the blanket, Bane sat up, looking at her.

"I thought I told you to go to sleep," he growled. He saw her hand grasping the corner of a blanket on his bed, then became slightly amused. "What are you doing?" Alex groaned, pressing her hands to her face and hunching her back in defeat. She dropped the potential warmth, and hurried back to her floor bed, but Bane continued talking. "If you must, you have my permission sleep in the bed," he said, removing the covers and pulling on a shirt from his closet. He slid on shoes, then strode towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Alex wondered out loud, getting no response from her captor. She sighed, noticing a digital clock on the desk. _Where the fuck is Bane going at three in the morning?_ she thought, slipping under the sheets. She scooted over to the warmer area, where Bane had been laying, slightly appalled that she was sleeping where a criminal had laid moments before.

Soon after shutting her eyes, Alex drifted into a dreamless sleep.

**Author's Note:**  
**Well...there's chapter two! Sorry about he wait, I've been busy lately, so the updates might be a little slower for the next few weeks (for my other story as well). Let me know if you think Bane is too nice or something, I don't want him to be out of character. I'll be sure to make him angry soon. **  
**Thanks for reading, I hope you stick with me!**


	3. Chapter 3

_They don't see me come, who can blame them?_  
_ They never seem to catch my eye but I never wondered why_  
_Take some time to simmer down, keep your head down low_  
_ Hey yeah, tiptoe higher_  
**-Imagine Dragons, Tiptoe**

**Chapter 3: Footsteps**

She awoke abruptly as she felt clammy hands sharply jolting her shoulder. Her eyes flew open, landing on the scruffy man beside her bed, whom she recognized as Barsad. His gaze lingered on her, as if he was wondering why Bane wanted her. Why had he taken a sudden interest in this young woman? Her bold glare provided enough of an answer.

"I'm bringing you to clean up," Barsad stated lazily, his hand casually hovering over his gun. Alex saw the threat, but still looked like she wanted to argue with him. The man rolled his eyes. Could she not see that this would only be benefiting her?

"All right," she agreed reluctantly, sliding out of the bed and following after Barsad. "I'm guessing this Bane guy told you to do that, right? Does he even have a last name? Or has he got the whole one-name shit going on? You know, like Cher-" She stopped babbling when Barsad covered her mouth with his hand.

"If he hears you mouthing him off like that, you'll be dead in an hour," he warned with a hiss, removing his hand, which she had been seriously debating whether or not to lick. He guided her through empty hallways, then down a set of stairs. He nodded towards the doorway in front of him.

Alex cautiously pulled the door open, feeling very much like she was in a gym locker-room. She hurried to the one of the bathroom stalls first, desperate to pee. After washing her hands, she noted that it smelled rather unpleasant, and was even more displeased to see rows of showers with only a half-door to shield her from onlookers. She planned on taking a shower, until she saw a large, sweaty, and entirely nude man sitting comfortably on a bench. She shuddered in disgust, then ran into the hallway as he gave her a lopsided wink. Barsad was positioned in front of the bathroom, waiting for her.

"You're finished already?" he questioned , his eyes criticizing her disheveled appearance. Alex was aware that her dark waves were untamed, and cringed in disbelief when she noticed the dried blood staining her tank top. Absently, she wondered if they had kept her sweatshirt, which held her phone and Ipod.

"Not exactly," Alex admitted. "I didn't want to shower in front of the naked guy." Barsad raised his eyebrows slightly, a smile tugging at his lips.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he remarked, sounding somewhere between annoyed and amused. She threw her hands up in frustration, pressing her palms to the sides of her head. She racked her brain for a reasonable request, but was unable to to think of a viable solution which involved no interaction with the unclothed man.

"I don't know...maybe you could stand in front of the shower or something?" Alex suggested desperately, instantly regretting the invitation; she didn't want him near her naked body either. "Never mind, that's a terrible idea."

"You can either shower, or go back to your room, it doesn't matter to me," he stated plainly, glancing at the time on a bulky silver phone. "You've got ten minutes, so I suggest you decide fast." He tapped his wrist, as if signaling time passing. Alex groaned, knowing her usual showers bordered on a half an hour. Although she reveled in the feeling of warm water soothing her bare back, her shower was also reserved as a place for her to think. She remembered just last week when she was yelled at for using up all of the hot water. It brought a smile to her face, thinking of her dad complaining about his "ice shower". Her grin instantly dropped from her face.

Dad.

Alex hadn't even lent him a thought since she'd been taken, he was probably beside himself in worry. _I hope he is_, she thought._ Surely he realizes something is wrong_. She shooed away her bleak thoughts, and reentered the washroom.

The nude man had put on a pair of navy shorts and a tight gray tank top. The damp tank top clung to his thick form, still revealing more than Alex wished to see. She hurried past his curious glare, stepping into the farthest shower. To her relief, there was a bottle of cheap shampoo and the thin remains of a white soap resting on the ground. After a quick peek around the washroom to make sure no one would walk in on her, Alex undressed. She peeled off her blood-tainted clothes, wondering when they got so dirty. She reached outside of the stall to hang her garments on a rusty hook, then pushed the steel knob upwards.

Alex shuddered in surprise as frigid water pelted her skin. Her arms prickled with goosebumps as she frantically grasped at the handle, turning it to the hottest it would go. She leaned away from the water, waiting until it warmed up. A minute passed. Bitter water continued to pierce her skin. She shook her head resentfully, not planning on wasting the shower. She welcomed a feeling of numbness, and proceeded to wash herself.

Alex plucked a black hair off of the soap and rubbed it tried to warm it in her hands before gliding it along her body. She scrubbed herself unnecessarily hard, yearning to rid herself of the feeling of death. Not her death, but the man she killed. She had killed him, _hadn't_ she?

Not directly, but Alex knew it was either his life or hers. Selfishly, she lived on.

She ran her clammy, shaking fingers through her tangled her, smoothing shampoo across the scalp then tilting her head back to rinse it. Moisture clouding her eyes, she fumbled around in front of her until the water turned off. Her chest was tight, breathing labored, as she searched for a towel. She swore quietly in realization. She forgot to grab a towel.

Alex quickly pulled on her black underwear and hooked her bra, both absorbing water as they met her body. As she turned to reach for the rest of clothes, she felt a sweaty hand grope her waist. She recoiled, reflexively flinging herself towards the back of the shower, as the hand pursued her.

Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she looked at the repulsive man with sweat dripping from his every pore. He exhaled a sigh of contentment upon seeing her half-clothed body. Had her stomach been full, she was sure she would've thrown up all over him. She decided to exchange no words with the man, instead choosing to deal with him another way.

Without a moment's hesitation, she reared her fist back and sent it flying towards his gut. Her knuckles bounced off of his blubber, causing him to grunt. Other than that, her attack made no impact.

"Shit," Alex muttered with a gasp, dodging his wandering hands. She swerved around him and darted down the washroom hallway, heavy footsteps pounding behind her. As soon as she burst through the doorway she slammed the door shut behind her, leaning against it. She laughed bitterly when she heard a muffled smack on the other side of the door. Then, another grunt.

Alex remained leaning against the metal, panting from her sprint. Directly across the hallway, Barsad was looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Forgetting something?" he asked, subtly looking her over. She glanced down at her body, and a blush appeared on her face. She was standing in front of a criminal in only her undergarments.

"Dammit!" she cursed again, feeling the need to explain herself. "There's some messed up fuck in the showers preventing me from getting my clothes!" Just as she finished her sentence, the door handle began to twist slightly. Barsad tossed her a key, which she caught between her hands then shoved it into the lock. She turned it until it clicked and cruelly flicked off a light switch, to which Barsad didn't protest. "He deserved it," she said, throwing the key back to the second in command.

He gazed at Alex, looking like he felt some measure of pity for her.

"I'll get you some clothes," he decided, gesturing for her to follow him

* * *

A half hour later and Alex was alone again in Bane's room, wearing a black sweatshirt with baggy sweatpants. She managed to comb through her hair with her fingers, tying it up with an elastic she found. She touched her face, randomly feeling embarrassment for the lack of her usual mascara and eyeliner. Alex knew she wasn't ugly, but she didn't believe she was beautiful either.

She was rather short, standing at just a few inches over 5 feet, while maintaining a healthy weight for her height. Her small waist led up to her breasts, which may have been slightly large for her size. Farther up was a smooth lightly tanned face that still held traces of its heart-shape from her younger years.

_Innocence_.

Then her dark hair and eyes that hinted at danger.

While glaring around the room wondering where Bane was, Alex suddenly recalled the box of vials she had found the day before. She walked over to the closet, planning on figuring out what they were, and whether she could somehow poison Bane with it. She dragged the case from the edge of closet, surprised to see that it was opened. Had she left it open?

Her question was answered when she heard soft footfalls behind her, a monstrous shadow casting over her. The room dimmed even more as something passed by a wobbling lamp. The footsteps were mocking, deep, slow, and utterly terrifying. She didn't dare move, remaining crouched over the case, her eyes widening fearfully. The sound stopped.

Only silence.

Silence that screamed louder than anything she had ever heard before.

Hesitantly, Alex craned her neck, facing the seething figure looming over her.

His hand seized her throat.

**Author's Note:**  
**I'm really sorry I haven't updated! It's been nearly a month! I've been pretty busy lately, but over the summer I'll have more time for writing. **  
**Kind of a boring chapter, but there will be much more Bane in the next chapter. Anyways, what do you think?**  
**Maybe I should look into a beta reader or something?  
Also, huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, read...anything really.  
Isn't Tom Hardy so sexy?  
**


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